


Pain Relief

by elliexer



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, It is now!, Other, Shower Hugging, is that a thing?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 02:18:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11911164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliexer/pseuds/elliexer
Summary: Gabriel is sitting in front of you in such excruciating pain that you think you can hear him beginning to cry.





	Pain Relief

**Author's Note:**

> There's not enough Reaper Hurt/Comfort, so I have taken matters into my own hands. Reader is gender neutral!

Gabriel is sitting in front of you in such excruciating pain that you think you can hear him beginning to cry. He's crumpled on the floor, his head in his hands as he shakes, his huge shoulders looking deflated as he curls in on himself. The man you'd come to know looked so small. So fragile. You aren't sure what to do. Your offer of pain medication is met with a shaky, pitiful laugh that you know is directed more toward himself than you. 

Watching him feels wrong. Like you shouldn't be seeing such a strong man curled in on himself -- sobbing -- because he was in such horrific pain. It's all you can do to not sink to the floor next to him and wrap him in a hug; just hold him until it goes away. The only thing stopping you is that you aren't sure if that would just cause him more pain or not. 

"M-maybe a hot shower?" you offer, and he shakes his head again, but offers you his hand. A shakey sob escapes past his lips and you heart pangs in your chest. You realize he's asking you to help him up. You grip his hand with both of yours and pull him to his feet. He instantly leans on you for support as you lead him to the bathroom, running the water as hot as he liked it. 

This wasn't a terribly common thing you dealt with, heavy pain medication mostly helped. But sometimes, Gabriel... Reaper... would have bad days. Where his whole body felt like it was on fire while simutaneously feeling like it was being ripped apart by the seams. You could hardly imagine the amount of pain he had to be in when this happened... and it hadn't been this bad in a long time. 

He removes his gloves first, handing them to you once you turn around from the shower and you place them down safely on the counter, turning to see him bare chested and offering you his shirt. His mask is placed neatly on top. He always did have a habit of folding his clothes, even when they were dirty. Even when he was in excruciating pain. You give him a small smile, eyeing the scars on his face and the pain scrunching up his features. He closes his eyes for a moment as he takes a deep breath before kicking his slippers off and tugging off his socks. You lean in to give him perhaps the softest kiss to his cheek that you can manage before making sure not to brush past him on your way out, wanting to give him some privacy. 

It's not until you're nearly half way out the door that you feel Gabe's hand gently gripping your arm. You spin around slowly, looking up at him, at the tears staining his cheeks and your own tears nearly begin to fall as well, "Oh, Gabe..." 

He's shaking so much now, the tears falling without pause now, the man in front of you breaking apart by the seams again and again. You bite your lip as you wait patiently for him to find his voice. 

"I..." his tone is gritty, rough. It's hard but it's soft all at the same time. It's a voice he only uses with you, a tone that would usually leave butterflies in your stomach but now, it simply made your heart hurt. "Please don't leave me alone". 

All you can do is nod your head. It was such a simple request -- such a simple thing to ask for. How could you refuse him? 

So, after a moment more, the both of you are undressed, your clothes left in a heap on the floor as you follow him into the shower. The hot water on his skin makes him hiss, and it's both in pain and pleasure. Hot showers usually helped, and as he backed up into you, letting you wrap your arms around his waist and pull against him, you knew it was helping already. 

He stood under the water for a long while, you against his back, hugging him close to you as the water fell down both your bodies. He soon turned around to hug you to his chest, thanking you with a silent kiss to the top of your head before you reached forward to turn off the water, knowing the signs now that he was starting to feel okay again. You reached up to kiss his cheek and he turned just in time to catch your lips with his, leaving a small smile on your face as you left the shower and brought him a towel. 

After the two of you dried off, you spent the rest of your evening in bed with him, his head resting upon your stomach as he slept, a book in your hand as you ran your fingers through his damp hair. He softly snored, expression completely relaxed as he napped. He looked now just as vulnerable as earlier, though this look of vulnerability was welcomed. No pain, no anguish, no heartbreak etched on his face like a sad statuette. He was just the regular, beautiful, vulnerable man you'd fell in love with. The Gabe you rarely got to see these days, but one you cherished just as much as the others.

"I love you," he whispered, almost so quietly you didn't hear him. You hadn't even realized he'd woken up but, you gave him a soft smile, cheeks feeling warm as you looked down at his brown eyes, so dark they were nearly black. 

"Love you, too," you whispered back, running your fingers gently through his hair before taking his hand and giving his palm a small kiss. He hummed contently, a rare smile ghosting across his lips as he settled in again, quickly falling asleep again. You watched him for a moment more before you fell asleep yourself, fingers tangling with his in your sleep.


End file.
